Fire and Rescue at the scene

The collision led to the derailment of dozens of freight cars

At least one person was injured as freight trains with dozens of box cars collided in Texas on Tuesday morning, causing officials to evacuate the area. The collision at about 8:40 a.m. involved two BNSF freight trains.
The accident occurred near the town of Panhandle, about 25 miles northeast of Amarillo. Thick, black smoke could be seen billowing from the box cars strewn along the tracks. Eye witness accounts  report seeing a huge fireball erupt after the collision occurred.
The head-on collision caused several box cars to derail and erupt in flames leading authorities to evacuate people who live nearby. Residents from the east side of Panhandle are being evacuated to an elementary school cafeteria.
Fire and Rescue as well as, Federal Railroad Administration investigators were on site. Injuries were reported but the total number and fatalities could not be determined

Thick smoke billowing in the wind and blowing towards the east side of the city

Authorities fear grass fire from the spreading flames

At the scene, the main concern is a grass fire as the wind had shifted and black smoke was seen moving into residential areas of the town. The population is estimated at 2,400 residents.
The city of Panhandle has sent out a notice to residents to cut back on all water usage immediately. They said the city’s water supply is being depleted by firefighters at the scene. They ask residents to turn off all sprinkler systems.

The accident happened near the town of Panhandle, about 25 miles northeast of Amarillo, according to Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Bryan Witt. He had no cause or other details because emergency responders were still assessing the damage, Witt said.

The collision at about 8:40 a.m. involved two BNSF freight trains, BNSF Railway spokesman Joe Faust said.

According to a spokeperson, four BNSF employees were involved in the incident. By 9:02 a.m., one employee was transported to a local hospital and is being treated.

Rescue efforts are underway at the scene with respect to the three other railroad employees involved in the incident.

11:35 a.m. update 

A National Transportation Safety Board accident investigation team has been dispatched to the crash site, a press spokesperson in the NTSB Central Regional Office in Denver told the Globe-News, and they are expected to arrive on site this afternoon.

Officials on the scene are diverting traffic off U.S. Highway 60 and onto highway 207, and area residents from the east side of Panhandle are being evacuated to an elementary school cafeteria.

The Texas A&M Forest Service is helping supply firefighting suppression foam on the wreckage.

Police and firefighters from Claude and Potter County are on the scene, as well as personnel from Pantex Plant and Randall County.

11:09 a.m. update – Evacuation & Water Supply

The city has begun evacuating the east side of town as the wind has started to shift. The city asked that anyone east of Highway 207, known as The Borger Highway, or LC, can evacuate to the courthouse for the War Memorial building. Another possible shelter may be the elementary school.

Any donations of water for First Responders can be dropped off at the Methodist Church, according to city secretary Roni Willburn.

At the scene, the wind has shifted and black smoke is moving into residential areas of town. The population is estimated at 2,400 residents.

The main concern is a grass fire.

The city of Panhandle has sent out a notice to residents to cut back on all water usage immediately. They said the city’s water supply is being depleted by firefighters at the scene. They ask residents to turn off all sprinkler systems.

10:30 a.m. update – Eyewitnesses

Witness Angel Waltz was sitting on her front porch at the Country Sunset RV Park drinking coffee when she heard screeching sounds and saw the two trains collide head-on, she said, looking across U.S. Highway 60 from her home.

She said there were small explosions and a huge ball of fire. Waltz said she ran to the other side of her trailer and called 911, and it was about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The concussion of the explosions shook the grounds and all the trailers, Waltz said.

Darrell Harvill, another Country Sunset resident, ran across Highway 60 to one of the train’s orange and black engines and called out to see if someone needed help getting out of the wreckage. He got no response and eventually had to back away as the fire grew more intense.

Another resident, Sara Glasscock, also watched the crash unfold and says she saw train cars as they “crumpled” on either side of the crashed engines.

9:05 a.m. update

At the scene, about five miles east of town near U.S. Highway 60, there’s a large amount of debris. Witness say there are two tracks that run side-by-side in that area.

Multiple fire department crews and law enforcement personnel are at the scene. No other details, including any injuries, are yet known.

A representative from BNSF said more details would be released later this morning.